Leaving an 8 year old at home while his dad is sleeping off nights

[Motherofmonsters]

Hello,

Just wondering people's opinions on this,

Would you leave an 8 year old at home while his dad was upstairs sleeping after being on night shift.

Basically me and my 2 year old have been invited out with her little nursery friends to somewhere that only has a toddler soft play which he will be to old to play in. Usually he would go and play with his grandparents but they both have appointments.

Would it be okay to leave him home, he would be able to wake his dad in an emergency. He would 100% be just watching TV, playing toys. He wouldn't be in the kitchen trying to cook etc. I just know he will be upset he can't play/ be bored sat with the grown ups

Thank you for your thoughts

One of mine at 8 would have been fine. The other wouldn’t. Depends how he is but as you are asking I doubt you will be able to relax while you’re out so I’d take him with you. Maybe get him a cake to eat while youngest is playing.

I think this is fine. I've done it before as dh isn't a massively heavy sleeper and would hear my dd if she shouted for help or anything. I wouldn't do it longer than maybe 2 hours though as she's be more likely to get bored and do something silly/make a mess after that amount of time.

As long as he is sensible and could be trusted to follow the rules you set for him. It’s not home alone, it’s home with an adult upstairs.

My youngest is 7 and I have cancer, so I have been known to have an afternoon nap due to treatment side effects while he is downstairs watching tv. I am actually much more likely to hear him in that situation than I am from my office during a Teams meeting or his dad is from his workshop in a separate building across the drive when he’s working.

He knows not to go outside or answer the door and he knows he can come upstairs to me for any reason.

Yes I would, unless the 8 year old had some sort of sn.

I think it's okay but if you are worried would a compromise be DH sleeping on sofa while child watched tv/played etc

My 8yo would be happy to come to the toddler thing with a book or tablet and snacks. I'd probably be happier with that but depends what yours is like!

No, absolutely not. I have three sensible, resourceful and ahem, imaginative DC and I wouldn’t have left them alone with a sleeping adult for more than 20 minutes aged 9. I’m not pretending I’m
a prefect parent who was always up at the crack of dawn before my DC, or that DH never had a daytime nap while “In charge” of the DC. But I wouldn’t do as you’re suggesting, OP.